Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1887-04-24
DELUGE MONTEEAL.
An Tce-sam Causes the River TO
Overflow.


A Montreal special says Montreal is
once more suffering from dcluge fully
as disastrous as that of 1861, and the
water has already risen to within foot
of the highest levelof last year Short
" before o'clock this morning large
mass of ice came down from the lakes
and. crashing through the river, thrice
caused a Jam about the foot of st.
Mary's current. The water backed up
rapidly, and in a short time began to
overflow the revetment wall and
spread out over Commissioner street.
The pumping engines were kept at
work until 6 o'clock, when the
water reached the height Of the sluice,
and the men were compelled to leave
their post. Higher and higher the
water rose until st. Paul street was sub
merged from st. Francois Xavier to
McGill street, and clerks coming down
to business found themselves cut OFF
from the stores. The waters rushed up
McGill street past Hams market and
the Albion Hotel, but the ground here
being more elevated the rise Of the
water WAS much less rapid 1t crept
up, however, inch by inch, until there
was depth Of three feet opposite the
door of the hotel, and the Office was
flooded out. The water all this time
was rushing westward through Griffin
town, until all the streets were sub
merged to a depth of three or four feet.
A crowd of hnrpies lowered around
in boats offering to ferry merchants to
their stores ut the rate of about SO per
hour, and no matter how short the dis
lance II was asked. Finding n boat
man who was more reasonable the
Times correspondent proceeded to
visit the flooded district. McGill street
was free from ice, but on turning into
Williams street there was confused
mass of floating sidewalks, ice, barrels,
&C., which was rather dangerous for
such frail craft as were endeavoring to
push through. The boatman. too, did
not appear to be as skilful as he was
reckless, and the consequence was that
the boat barely left a lamp-post before
it came brCadside on telegraph post.
Tie streets in this vicinity were covered
with about two feet of ice, and conse-
Quently the water was so shallow that
the boat grounded every few hundred
wards, and the boatm2n had to step
over the side and tow it along until
deep water was reached.
The current kept running faster and
faster until it reached a speed of about
two miles an hour, greatly increasing
the dangers of navigation. At every
street-corner boats would shoot out
most Unexpectedly, and collisions were
innumerable, but upsets were remarka-
bly, rare. The houses along this street
being rather low the water reached in
many instances to nearl y the top of
the doors, and the inhabitants had
retired to the upper floors, and
every window was filed with anx-
ious faces gazing despondently at the
rushing waters below. The younger
people managed to get good deal of
amusement out Of the general calamity.
Their ingenuity, sharpened by previous
experience, enabled them to construc.
a raft or boat out of almost anything
that came in their way. The most con-
venient craft was a section of wooden
sidewalk, with barrels or boxes for
seats, and propelled by poles. Allow
ing the boat to drift along with the
current the Haymarket was soon reach
ed. The water pouring in from diffe-
rent points created a whirlpool, broken
here and there by piles of hay, which
had to be abandoned when the water first
rushed in. The clerks OF the market
sat on the roofs, smoking calmly and
casting an occasional unconcerned
glance at the surging waters beneath.
A horse attached to light cart had
narrow escape here. The owner had
only had time to row down to the sta
bic when the water rushed in. He
drove up DIXIE street, the horse swim.
ming most of the time, aud arriving at
William street, where the deposits OF
ice made the water much shallower,
the horse attempted to climb, bat fell
back repeatedly, and it was only after
considerable trouble that the animal
was rescued.
Whole families could be seen at every
window, the men being prevented by
the flood from going to their work.
The families in the lower tenements
had been taken by theirmore fortunate
neighbors upstairs, who did everything
in their power to help them; but the
water had risen SO rapidly that they had
been able to save only very small
portion Of their belongings.
eve are pretty crowded." said
man from an upper window. ~ have
two families here besides my own. We